Some history of the Albert Hotel at Tamworth in Staffordshire

Staffordshire | Tamworth | Albert Hotel

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More information on the Albert Hotel at Tamworth to follow. I probably created the page as I had a link to the Albert Hotel from another page. When building the site it is easier to place links as they crop up rather than go back later on. I realise this is frustrating if you were specifically looking for information on the Albert Hotel. There is information on Staffordshire dotted around the website - click here for a suitable starting place.

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"On Monday evening the body of a girl named Amy Allsopp, aged 15, daughter of a miner, residing at Burntwood, was found by two men floating in the river Anker, near the Railway Station. Amy Allsopp was engaged as domestic servant at the Albert Hotel, having been there about a fortnight. She had been missing since the previous Thursday evening. An inquest was held on Wednesday, by Mr. Topham, deputy coroner, at the Tweeddale Arms Hotel, touching the death of the deceased. Mr. T. Luby was chosen foreman of the Jury. Mr. M. G. Atkins, watched the proceedings on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, the deceased's employers. George Allsopp, miner, Burntwood, step-father of the deceased, indentified the body. Amy Allsopp was 15 years of age. Witness last saw her alive in June last, when he brought her to Tamworth. She was very cheerful, and he knew of no circumstance that would induce her to destroy herself. She went to the Albert Hotel for a month on trial; that time had not expired. He had not seen deceased since she left home. He was not aware that she had any young men acquaintances, or was in any way in trouble. She had been in the habit when at Lichfield of walking with other girls; that was the reason he brought her to Tamworth. Mrs. Andrews sent for him and his wife on Saturday, notifying that the deceased was missing. She complained that the deceased had been putting her hands on things that did not belong to her; she spoke of fetching the police. When witness and his wife arrived on Saturday Mrs. Andrews asked him, as deceased had not put in an appearance, to communicate with the police, but he replied that it was more in her place to do that as she had charge of the girl. Witness's opinion was that Mrs. Andrews frightened the girl, and that she went straight to the river the same evening and committed suicide. In reply to questions by the coroner, witness said he did not think that deceased's temper was of a particularly hasty character. Mrs. Andrews on Saturday said she hoped the girl would be found in order that the question of dishonesty might be cleared up. Witness said he hoped she would; he was anxious that the dispute might be settled. Mrs. Andrews informed witness that deceased had made a certain allegation against her husband who, however, had denied it. As the girl did not make an appearance witness and his wife went home on Saturday evening. On Tuesday morning they received a letter from Mrs. Andrews stating that the girl had been found drowned in the river. Edward Robinson, porter, employed by the London and North Western Railway Company, living at No. 3, Temple Road cottages, Tamworth, spoke to seeing the body of deceased in the River Anker shortly before seven o'clock on Monday evening, and to bringing it out with the assistance of a man named Edward Gray. Mary Jane Thorley, domestic servant, Wilnecote, said she knew the deceased, having made her acquaintance about a month ago. On Wednesday afternoon she went with her in company with several children along the Bonehill Road. When they reached the canal deceased told her that she was going to leave Tamworth. Witness asked her the reason, and she said she was going to drown herself. She alleged that Mrs. Andrews, her mistress, had not given her sufficient food, nor spoken a kind word to her since she had been in her employ. She also added that Mrs. Andrews had "driven her to it." Witness told her that she thought of getting a situation in Lichfield, but deceased advised her not to go, adding a statement about the soldiers there and herself. Replying to Mr. Atkins, witness said the conversation took place at Bonehill. Deceased put her foot into the water of the canal, and she said she would drown herself then if she had not Mr. Andrews's children with her. This was on the day previous to that on which she left the hotel in the evening. Deceased gave no reason for threatening to drown herself other than those she had mentioned. She asked her to say nothing about what she had told her until she had gone. On Wednesday afternoon deceased bought a penny cake; she had a few pence in her possession, but she did not say from where she had the money, except that her mother gave her six shillings before she left home. The Coroner: Did she seem much distressed in in mind? Witness: Yes, she seemed tired of life. When she put her foot in the water she seemed to have a great weight upon her mind. She did not say she had been charged with theft. By Mr. Jones [a juror] : Neither did she allege anything against Mr. Andrews. Mr. Allsopp recalled, said in reply to questions by Mr. Atkins, that he was pleased to get deceased from Lichfield, she had got fond of walking about the streets with other servant girls. Mr. Andrews asked witness to take deceased's box away when he went home. Witness said it did not matter about removing the box, and Mrs. Andrews said she should not let it go until the girl was found and the matter cleared up. Witness did tell deceased when he brought her to Tamworth to try to keep her place, as work being so bad and he an invalid, he could not keep her at home. Witness had been in the Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary 19 weeks, and was only receiving 5/9 per week, out of which five persons had to be kept. Alice Andrews, wife of Edward Andrews, landlord of the Albert Hotel, said the deceased had been in her employ as a servant for a fortnight and three days. Her parents lived at Burntwood, and she came for a month on trial. On Thursday evening the deceased left the house unknown to witness. The last she saw of her was when she was in her bedroom, between eight and nine o'clock. They were in the bedroom together, and witness spoke to her about being untruthful, and asked for an explanation about some clothes and money that had been missed. Deceased had been spending money in the town, had purchased a hat, and had some pence in her possession. Witness knew when she came to the hotel she had no money. She told deceased that she would not suit her, and that at the end of the month her services would not be required. Deceased was a cheerful girl, but witness thought at times she had trouble upon her mind. She had never heard her threaten to drown herself. Examined by Mr. Atkins, witness said she went to London on the Saturday after deceased came to the hotel. She stayed there a fortnight. On the Thursday evening when she was with deceased in her bedroom she asked her to turn out the chest of drawers in which she kept her clothes. She did so, and witness found several pieces of velvet and two blouses in the drawers which belonged to her. Deceased admitted she had taken the things, and then made a statement against witness's husband. Witness told her if that was so she would send for the police, her mother, and a doctor. Witness went down stairs and asked her husband if it was true, and he came upstairs with witness and asked the girl what she meant by saying such a thing, but she made no reply. The Coroner: Did Mr. Andrews deny it her presence? Witness : Yes, the girl never spoke, but began to cry. Continuing, she said her husband and herself then went downstairs, and she told deceased to remain in her room. Witness went upstairs again about five minutes afterwards and she found deceased had gone. Further examined, Alice Andrews said she had always treated Amy Allsopp kindly. She had never spoken an unkind word to her since she had been in her service; she merely asked for an explanation about articles which were missing. Deceased had always had sufficient food. She had the same as witness and her husband. She was never restricted, and she always had an opportunity of helping herself. Whilst witness was in London, her sister-in-law, Mrs. Dent, assisted in the hotel. She slept in the next room to her husband's, and the deceased slept in another room on the same landing. Mr. Alfred Jones [a juror]: Did deceased take any of the articles alleged to have been stolen off your premises? Witness: No. Was the chest of drawers exclusively for the use of deceased? Yes. Mr. Luby [foreman]: When you found that deceased had left her bedroom on the Thursday evening what course did you adopt? Witness: I wrote a letter the same night to her mother informing her that deceased had suddenly left the house. Mr. Atkins: How long did you sit that evening waiting for deceased. Witness: Until after one o'clock. Answering questions by Mr. E. Goode [a juror], witness said she did not report the matter to the police on the following day, Friday. On the Saturday when deceased's parents came to Tamworth she asked them to communicate with the police, but Mr. Allsopp said, "No, she will come back shortly; she is amongst her friends." The reason witness asked deceased to account for sixpence that was missing was because her husband dropped it on the floor, and it being forgotten for a few minutes was allowed to remain there. Her husband looked for the coin, and, finding that it was gone, witness asked if she had picked it up. She made no answer. When deceased left the house on Thursday night, witness never thought she intended to destroy herself. She had neither heard nor been told that deceased had threatened to commit suicide. Mr. Millington [juror]: How long was deceased in her situation at Lichfield? Witness: About nine months. What kind of character had she for that service? They don't keep people for nine months to be dishonest. The Coroner: That is quite true. He added that he did not think there was any accusation against Mr. Andrews. The character of deceased from Mrs. Gilbert, Lichfield, in whose employ she was for nine months, showed that she was a strong girl, and a splendid worker when she liked; she required, however, a great deal of looking after. She was very long when sent on errands; she thought it would be better if she left the town away from her numerous relations and companions. When she first came she was willing and obliging; but she was sorry to say she had grown careless over her work. Under another servant she thought she might suit. Edward Andrews, landlord of the Albert Hotel, totally denied the accusations which had been made against him by the deceased. Mr. Atkins said if it was necessary he would call the sister-in-law, who slept in the house on the same landing as all the parties during the absence of Mrs. Andrews, and she would tell the jury that the allegations could not be true. The Coroner said he thought Mr. and Mrs. Andrews had been cleared of any charge which might have been brought against them. Mr. Atkins said he was glad to hear that intimation. Unless it was the desire of the jury, he would not call any further evidence. The Coroner: I do not think it is necessary. He then proceeded to review the evidence, when several jurymen asked that the mother of the deceased might be called to prove the statements made by her husband. Amy Allsopp, mother of deceased, was then called. She said she did not think there was anything the matter with her daughter when she left her last situation. Witness had been told that deceased had threatened to drown herself. The reason she did not communicate with the police on Saturday was because Mrs. Andrews told her she would take the responsibility. Witness only gave deceased three pence after she had purchased some articles for her use. She did not know from where she had got other money. She could not account for the new hat she had in her possession. Mr. Atkins said he should like to address a few words to the jury, but the coroner stated that was not usual. The coroner briefly summed up, and the jury unanimously returned verdict of "Found drowned." They were unanimously of opinion, the foreman said, that Mr. and Mrs. Andrews were to blame for not making enquiries on the Friday morning as to the girl's whereabouts. The funeral took place the same afternoon, the remains of the unfortunate girl being interred at Glascote cemetery, the Rev. W. MacGregor officiating. Mr. Andrews provided a hearse for the use of the mourners, and Mrs. Andrews also followed. Two wreaths were placed on the coffin - one from the brothers of the deceased, and one inscribed "In affectionate remembrance, from the children at the Albert Hotel."
"Sad Death of a Servant Girl"
Tamworth Herald : July 8th 1893 Page 8